South Asia, home to roughly one-fourth of the world’s population but covering only about 4% of its land area, is among the most densely populated regions on earth. It is also a region with deep historical wounds and immense untapped potential.
Much of South Asia endured nearly two centuries of colonial exploitation that left its economies stunted and its societies divided. From being among the most prosperous regions in the pre-colonial era, it was reduced to serving the interests of colonial rulers. Famines, repression, and economic extraction became defining features of this period. Since independence, achieved about 78 years ago, the region has avoided the large-scale famines that once ravaged it and made modest progress in human development. Yet, vast sections of its population still struggle with poverty, inequality, and underdevelopment.
Today, the region’s sustainable development prospects face new and severe challenges. South Asia is acutely vulnerable to the effects of climate change — from rising sea levels and heatwaves to erratic monsoons and glacial melt. When combined with other environmental stresses, these changes could threaten the survival of millions in the coming decades. For such a densely populated and economically fragile region, peace and stability are essential to manage these overlapping crises.
However, peace in South Asia remains fragile. The colonial legacy of partition, artificial borders, and sectarian division continues to cast a long shadow. The hurried demarcations of 1947 led to mass displacement, violence, and lasting hostilities. In the post-colonial era, the region has witnessed repeated conflicts, both internal and cross-border, often worsened by foreign interventions, covert operations, and arms proliferation. The fact that two neighboring nations in this volatile region possess nuclear weapons adds to the gravity of the situation.
Given these realities, the people and leaders of South Asia must consider whether their future lies in continued division and confrontation, or in cooperation and unity. A bold, forward-looking vision could imagine a regional federation — a United Countries of South Asia (UCSA) — that guarantees peace through integration rather than deterrence. Such a union could ensure that wars become impossible within the region and that all citizens benefit from shared development and security.
This unity must rest on the pillars of democracy, equality, decentralization, and justice. Local governance — at the level of provinces, districts, and villages — should be empowered with adequate resources and autonomy to protect diverse cultures and address local needs. The UCSA could include the eight recognized South Asian nations — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives — with an open invitation to Myanmar to join if it so chooses.
A united South Asia could also pursue peaceful, cooperative relations with all its neighbors, particularly China, guided by a foreign policy of non-alignment and mutual respect. Its vast combined market of nearly two billion people would offer unparalleled economic opportunities, while its integrated infrastructure could help landlocked nations access the sea and provide island nations more security against rising seas.
Interfaith harmony would be central to such a vision. South Asia is the birthplace of some of humanity’s greatest spiritual and ethical traditions — from the teachings of Gautam Buddha, Guru Nanak, and Mahavir Jain to those of Mahatma Gandhi and Badshah Khan. Reviving and embodying these traditions of peace, compassion, and coexistence could transform South Asia into a living example of unity in diversity.
A united, peaceful, and democratic South Asia may sound utopian today, but it remains a vision worth striving for — a vision rooted in the shared history, cultures, and destinies of its people. The choice before the region is stark: to remain divided and vulnerable, or to come together to build a future of collective peace and prosperity.
---
The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save the Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, Earth Without Borders, A Day in 2071, and Man over Machine
Comments